Abstract

Periodontitis is a group of inflammatory diseases with infectious etiology characterized by destruction of tooth supporting tissues. Periodontal treatment aims to suppress periodontal pathogens mainly through mechanical debridement. Anti-inflammatory drugs, especially non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), have been proposed as adjunctive therapy. This review aims to provide an overview on the potential effects of systemic use of NSAIDs on periodontal treatment outcomes. Several NSAIDs, non-selective and selective COX inhibitors have been evaluated. Some of them improve clinical outcomes of mechanical periodontal treatment and, in some cases, also induce changes in the biochemical profile of gingival crevicular fluid. However, the results obtained should be balanced with the potential side effects of these drugs.

Keywords: Aspirin, COX-1, COX-2, ibuprofen, periodontitis, periodontal treatment.

Graphical Abstract